Worth It
by brileyboo22
Summary: Seth and Summer are getting ready to leave for college, but a few little things may hinder their plans. When they do go, they're forced to go through things they thought they wouldn't be dealing with until much, much later...if at all.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer – I do not own the O.C. or any of the characters associated.

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She kept telling herself it was fine, that everything would be alright. But she couldn't possibly convince herself of this, because it wasn't fine and everything would not be alright. She wasn't, at all, prepared for this and neither was her boyfriend. Girls her age weren't supposed to be worrying about this stuff. They were supposed to be getting ready to go off to college and be able to do whatever they wanted. Now she wouldn't be able to do anything at all. It couldn't have come at a worse time.

"Summer, are you ready yet?" Seth asked, knocking on the bathroom door. "What the hell are you doing in there? We're going to be late." He knocked again just to make his point.

Seth's parents were throwing a going-away party for the couple at their house. Summer and Seth had gotten an apartment together for the summer. This had been Ryan's idea, of all people. And for that, Seth really hated his brother. Living together had turned the two completely against each other. They had started to grow apart way before then and this had just pushed them over the edge. They were fighting constantly about everything. It was no longer just their usual cute bickering and both were getting very tired of it.

Summer grunted and rolled her eyes. "Just a minute, Cohen!" she shouted back. Once she was able to get rid of the few tears threatening to fall and trash the evidence of the pregnancy test she had just taken, she opened the door. "God, it's called patience," she said when she saw her boyfriend standing at the door, his foot tapping. "You should really try it sometime." She scoffed and grabbed her purse off the couch.

Now it was Seth's turn to roll his eyes. "Maybe if you didn't take a fucking hour in the bathroom, I wouldn't be so upset. My parents are throwing this party for _us, _in case you hadn't been told. It started a half hour ago and in my opinion, it's kind of rude to show up this late to your own party. So if you don't mind, I'd like to get going now."

Sighing, Summer stopped in front of the door and just glared at him. He had no idea how much their lives were about to change, did he? "You're such an asshole," she mumbled as she opened the door.

"Oh yeah, Summer, because you're just a real treat these days," Seth retorted. When they were both in the hallway, he slammed the apartment door and locked it behind them.

The couple didn't exchange another word on the way to Sandy and Kirsten's. They tried their hardest not to even look at one another. Summer was too busy thinking about the news she had just discovered and Seth was a little preoccupied with both driving and singing along to Death Cab. He had been so stressed lately. All he thought about was college and how he and Summer were going to move across the country and manage to make it. Their relationship had hardly survived a summer in Newport. What was going to happen when they threw in stressful college schedules and the jobs they'd have to take on to pay rent? It scared the hell out of him. Of course, he still loved Summer. But something had changed; they'd grown distant.

It was forty-five minutes into the party before they arrived. Truthfully, not many people, aside from Sandy and Kirsten, had noticed. Everything was pretty much your typical Newport scene and they were just standing around, chatting, and sipping their champagne. Sandy and Kirsten welcomed the couple with big hugs and even bigger smiles. They were immediately pulled in separate directions and didn't really mind to be away from each other. They felt like they'd suffocated in their tiny apartment for three months.

Sandy pulled his son aside and questioned him about his relationship with his girlfriend. It was obvious that the two were fighting, but Seth wouldn't tell him anything. He assured his father that everything was fine and that there was nothing to worry about. He and Summer would pull through like they always had. And he truly believed that; he just wasn't quite sure how that was going to happen.

Many people talked to Summer throughout the party. They congratulated her on getting into college and braving the big world on her own. People asked questions, but Summer barely said a word to any of them. Her mind was elsewhere and she just couldn't shake the worries, as they kept growing. Questions filled her mind and the answers could be found nowhere.

Kirsten had been standing across the room and was possibly the only one who had noticed Summer's lack of interest in typical conversation. She made her way over to the young woman, looking concerned. "Summer, are you okay? Is everything alright with you and Seth?"

Snapping out of her trance, Summer looked up at her boyfriend's loving mother. After letting the words process, Summer slowly nodded her head and waved it off. "Um…yeah, I just…I've got a lot on my mind, you know?"

Kirsten nodded her head but wasn't entirely convinced. "Sweetie, you know you can always come to me. If you ever need to talk, or just want someone to listen."

Summer forced a small smile and nodded. "I know. Thanks, Kirsten."

Not ten minutes passed after that conversation before Summer got that all-too-familiar feeling in her stomach. The one she'd grown so accustomed to over the past few weeks. Rushing to the nearby bathroom and closing the door, she lifted the toilet seat and emptied the contents of her stomach into it.

Ryan and Seth had been standing next to the drink table when Summer ran past them. They watched her slam the bathroom door and shot each other questioning glances. "Is she okay, man?" Ryan asked. "Is she sick or something?"

Seth sighed and shrugged, setting his drink down. "She spends all her time in there now. I don't know what the hell's going on with her."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you should go check it out."

"Yeah, yeah," Seth mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets and making his way to the bathroom. He knocked quietly on the door before letting himself in. He, then, quietly shut it behind him. His girlfriend had just flushed the toilet and was sitting on the bathroom floor with her back against the wall. Her head was buried in her hands and she looked absolutely miserable. Seth knelt down beside her, placing a hand on her back. "Hey, what's wrong? Did you eat some bad food or something?" After all, this was his girlfriend and he loved her. He cared about her.

Summer groaned and looked up at her boyfriend, shooting out another glare. "Oh, so now you notice?" she said sharply. "When there are people around, you come running in here to check on me? But no, the last hundred times this happened, I seem to recall no one came chasing after me."

Seth sighed and stood up, helping her to her feet as well. "Summer, please just tell me what's going on. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't," she replied, throwing her hands in the air. "Because you don't pay attention to anything anymore, Seth. You just…" Summer ran a hand through her hair. When she looked back up at him, her eyes were filled with tears. "God, I don't even know what to do anymore. I'm so scared."

Seth was completely confused and it was evident on his face. "Summer, what are you talking about? Scared of what? Of me?"

"No, no," she said, shaking her head furiously. At this moment, Summer realized she was not at all ready to tell anyone else about this. Before that happened, she had to get her own head wrapped around it. She walked to the bathroom door. "Can we leave now?"

"Summer, no we cannot leave. We just got here. Do you just not want to say goodbye to all of our family and friends?" he asked. "You just want to go back to the apartment and be alone? Really?"

Throwing her head back and sighing, Summer replied, "You don't understand, Seth."

"Because you won't tell me, Summer!" He was practically yelling now and could definitely be heard outside the bathroom door. "You don't tell me anything anymore. You're always hiding out in the bathroom or bedroom. You don't talk to me anymore…and God knows other areas of our relationship have suffered because of it." He paced back and forth in the small bathroom. "I don't know what you want from me anymore. What do you want? Please, enlighten me."

Summer laughed sardonically and shook her head. "Fuck you," she said, glaring at him.

"You know what, Summer, someone should." Seth nodded his head. "Because you sure as hell aren't."

Raising her hand, Summer slapped his cheek and then opened the bathroom door. Her emotions were out of control and she was not in the mood to deal with him right now. All she wanted to do was curl up on her bed and cry. That's all. So that's what she intended to do. She took their car and drove back to the apartment. Changing out of that beautiful, yet extremely uncomfortable dress, she crawled under the covers.

Seth was mad. Very mad. Why? He honestly didn't know. He did figure part of it was the fact that he hadn't had sex in two months and he couldn't even stand to look at his girlfriend anymore. So he didn't know what was going to happen now. He stayed at his parents' house for another few hours and then got Ryan to drop him off at the apartment. When he walked in, he didn't even bother checking the bedroom. He spread out on the couch and turned the television on, drifting off to sleep.

When Summer woke up the next morning, she heard the shower running and sighed, realizing she'd have to face him at some point. Maybe if she told him, he would be a little more understanding. And everything would be fine…until a baby popped out and a whole new set of problems arose. Either way, she knew she had to do it. She got up and changed, pulling her hair up into a ponytail. It wasn't a minute later she heard the shower turn off and immediately got nervous. What if he reacted even worse than she had? What if he wanted to leave her? No, she told herself. He was still her Cohen and he wouldn't do that. Would he? It wasn't long before she would find out.

Seth walked into their bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and glanced up momentarily at Summer, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. She sat there silently as he put his clothes on and then she spoke. "Cohen, I have to tell you something." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"What?" he said rather loudly, shooting his head up. She didn't say anything. "Summer, what is it? I'm meeting Ryan and I'm going to be late."

Summer shook her head and stood up, walking over to him. Tears filled her eyes once more. "Please don't do that right now, Seth. I'm serious." She heard him sigh and he just stared at her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes momentarily. "I'm pregnant."

Seth stared blankly at her for a few moments. "Um…you're what?" He held his hands up before she could repeat herself. "Don't say it again." He walked away and then walked back to her. "You…are pregnant," he stated rather obviously. "That…would explain a lot." Moments passed.

"Is that all you're going to say? Really?" Summer asked. "God…" She rolled her eyes.

Seth sighed. "Just give me a second, okay Summer? I just need one fucking minute to process this. I'm sure it took you a while, too."

Summer laughed and shook her head. "No, actually…it would have. But, you see, I was sort of being yelled at to get out of the bathroom, so I wasn't really given an option."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Have you gone to the doctor and stuff? Because those at-home things are wrong a lot."

"No, I haven't gone to the doctor, Seth. But I guess you haven't been living here for the past few weeks," Summer stated. "While I've been puking my guts out, you've been on the couch playing video games with Ryan. I'm pretty damn sure I'm pregnant. There's been more than one sign."

"Can you like stop accusing me for maybe, like, I don't know…half a second?" Seth retorted. "This is serious."

Summer looked at him like he was a complete idiot. "Do you think I don't know that this is fucking serious? Are you kidding me?" She threw her hands up. "Believe me; I _know _that this is serious." She sighed and shook her head. "I can't keep doing this, Seth. We keep pretending that everything is fine, but it's not and we both know it. Something is very wrong in this relationship and until we figure it out, I can't be around you."

Seth rolled his eyes. "What the fuck are you talking about? So you're pregnant…and you're breaking up with your boyfriend? Smart, Summer…"

"Oh, my God…" Summer looked straight at him. "I never said I wanted to break up. I said I couldn't be around you like this. I just told you that I'm pregnant with your child and, somehow, I thought that might help matters. But, no, you couldn't be nurturing or caring for a minute or two. You still had to act like a complete asshole. You really should learn to think before you open your mouth."

Seth sighed. "I'm sorry. I've just been really stressed lately."

"Oh, and I haven't?" Summer asked. "Sure, I haven't been stressed at all. You better get going; don't want to be late for your date with Ryan."

"That's funny, Summer," Seth said sarcastically. "You're funny." He grabbed the car keys and walked out, slamming both the bedroom and the front doors after him.

All Summer could do after that was cry. She pounded her fists into their bed and cried. In no way, had that made anything better. She didn't know who she had just been talking to, but it wasn't her Cohen. Her Cohen would've taken her in his arms, stroked her hair, and told her everything would be alright. He would've comforted her and told her they could do it together and that he loved her. This Seth didn't do any of those things. And Summer wasn't sure that this new Seth was someone she could be with.

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_Please review! All are welcome, good and bad. Let me know what you think and if I should continue. I've got a lot in mind for this story. Thanks :)_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer – I do not own the O.C. or any of the characters associated.  
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After Seth left, Summer decided to get back in bed and stay there. For the rest of the day. When the phone rang, she answered and then quickly hung up, not caring who it was or what they wanted. When she couldn't fall asleep, she would just think. She thought about Seth and all the good times they'd been together. Then she thought about their recent fights and tried to figure out exactly where things had changed. Where they'd gone wrong. Maybe Seth was right and it was just stress about the move and about starting their new life together, away from their family. She hoped he was. And that it would disappear soon. She thought about the fact that she was pregnant and what the hell they were going to do about it. How were they both going to go to school, work, and take care of a baby all by themselves? It wasn't possible. She finally came to the conclusion that they were both going to have to sacrifice some things. Maybe their relationship was one of them.

Seth's head was spinning. He didn't know what to think, much less what to say. For a moment, he stood outside their apartment door and considered going back inside to apologize. After all, this was a huge thing and probably something they should sit down and talk about. Truth be told, he was a little scared to go back in. The last thing he'd intended was to hurt Summer and he certainly didn't want to lose her. He knew he had been an asshole, but he wasn't lying when he said it was because of stress. He was so scared of leaving Newport and his family, only to be on his own. What if he couldn't take care of Summer the way he wanted to? And it was college. What if she found some smart, older guy that she found more likable than him? It was very possible. And now a baby? Why hadn't they been more careful? He was eighteen. He was not ready to take on the responsibilities of being a father.

Halfway to the Cohen house, Seth decided he couldn't wait to speak to Ryan. This was urgent. So he dialed his brother's number and waited impatiently for him to answer. When he did, Seth's only words were, "She's pregnant."

Ryan was confused. He could be talking about anybody. "Who are you talking about?" he asked. "Who's pregnant?"

Seth sighed. "Who do you think? Summer! Summer is pregnant…with my baby. My baby…Ryan, I have a child. And I'm eighteen. And Summer's eighteen. No matter what way you look at my current situation, it sucks. It's horrible from all angles. And we've been fighting for months now."

It took Ryan a minute to process this information. Never, in a million years, had he pictured something of the likes happening to Seth. "What? How long have you known about this?"

"Why the hell does that matter, Ryan?" Seth asked his brother. "She just told me, like twenty minutes ago."

"Okay…and why exactly are you on the phone with me instead of talking to you girlfriend who is probably scared to death?" he asked. "You should be talking to her…working this out."

"But-"

Ryan cut him off. "Seth, hang up the phone. Go talk to her." Before he could protest, Ryan hung up.

Seth sighed and tossed his phone in the passenger seat. He drove on for a few minutes and then reluctantly turned the car around. What was he going to say to her? He couldn't tell her all the things he was thinking because most of them would probably just make her feel worse. He wanted to tell her that everything would be okay and that they could handle being parents. But he couldn't because he wasn't sure of it himself. So he decided to just blast the music in his car and try not to think about anything until he got there and had to face her.

When Seth walked into the apartment and their bedroom, he was surprised to see Summer up and about. She was throwing all of her stuff into a suitcase and so obviously, trying to keep tears from falling. The worst immediately came to Seth's mind; she was leaving him. She was serious when she'd mentioned it before. His mind started spinning and he walked over to Summer, grabbing her arm. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"What the hell does it look like?" Summer snapped. "I'm packing…since, in case you didn't know, we're leaving tomorrow."

"Okay, that's obvious," Seth stated. "But you're only packing your stuff. Why are you only packing your stuff?"

Summer looked at him like he was stupid. "Because you can pack you own damn bag, Seth. You're not a child, much as you like to act like it."

Seth sighed and shrugged slightly. "Okay, I deserved that one." He took Summer's arm again and turned her to face him. "Don't you think there's some stuff we need to talk about?" he asked.

Summer raised an eyebrow and yanked her arms away from him, crossing them over her chest. "Oh, so now you want to talk? That's interesting." She paused. "Go ahead, talk. I'm through trying to talk to you, Cohen."

Another sigh came from Seth as he looked at his girlfriend. "Okay…first of all, I am so sorry for the past couple of months. I didn't realize it then, but now I know that I was acting like a complete ass. I was totally insensitive and inconsiderate and I am sorry. I've been so stressed, but I know you have, too and I should've just talked to you about it. I took it all out on you, but I'm done with that. We're leaving tomorrow and this can be like a fresh start for us."

She shook her head silently. "How do I know it won't happen again? Things are only going to get harder and more stressful. Neither of us are ready to take on a kid and there's no way we can both work and go to school with a baby." She sighed. "I don't want us to end up hating each other, Cohen. And I feel like that's where we're headed. We don't communicate anymore and we can't even go a day without fighting."

"Please, just trust me," Seth replied. "It won't happen again. I'm not stupid enough to make the same mistake twice. All we have to do is get back to where we were before. Just forget about the past few months and we can start over."

Summer sighed heavily. "I don't know if I can do that, Seth. We can't just start over." She paused to make sure her next words would be ones that she really meant. "And I've decided not to go to school. I've never been a great multi-tasker and there's just no way I can raise a child while I'm in college."

Seth furrowed his brow. He felt completely responsible for every one of their problems and this meant that he would be the real reason she wasn't going to follow her dreams. Then he paused, thinking about her words. She wanted to keep the baby? Honestly, he had been a little apprehensive, thinking she would be considering both adoption and abortion. "So, wait…we are keeping the baby, right?" he asked, just wanting to be sure.

Summer nodded her head slowly. "Yes. Believe me; I've rolled over every option in my mind more than once. I just can't convince myself of anything else," she said, shrugging. "Maybe this isn't what we planned, but it's what we got. We were, most likely, going to have kids someday anyways. The universe just had a different plan, that's all. And…" She took a deep breath. "I think we've both grown a lot as individuals, so if we have to do this thing separately, that's what we'll do." She tried not to let any of the emotion she felt show with her voice. The thing she couldn't control and hadn't been able to for weeks was her tear ducts. She could try to suppress them for as long as possible, but eventually they would give her away. And they did just then, too. She didn't want to break up with Seth; in fact, that's the last thing she wanted. She wanted to be able to fix things between them, but she just wasn't sure that was possible anymore. Maybe they were just too far gone.

"Wait, what…what are you talking about, Summer?" Seth asked. "Separately? No, we're not breaking up. We just hit a rough patch, but we'll make it through. We always do." He shook his head in frustration and took a step closer to his girlfriend. "I love you," he whispered. "And I'm not letting you go."

By now, the tears had started to fall and Summer turned her head from him, avoiding eye contact. She couldn't look at him; if she did, she knew she would give in to those soft brown eyes and adorable dimples. And she wasn't going to let herself do that again. She spoke quietly, still not looking at him. "Seth, it shouldn't be this hard. We shouldn't have to try so hard just to be together. We always make up after a fight and then just end up repeating the same cycle. And what about our kid? It's not good for kids to grow up with parents who fight constantly and let's face it, that's just what we do. I don't want our kid to end up resenting us for that."

Tiny tears had formed in Seth's eyes, but he didn't dare let them fall. "Summer, no…you don't mean it. You're breaking up with me?"

Summer kept her head down toward the ground and simply nodded her head. "I just don't see how it's going to work, Cohen."

"Okay," Seth replied. "Okay." He lifted her chin with two fingers so they were looking right at each other. She couldn't hide anything now. "Look at me and tell me that you don't love me, Summer. Because that's the only way any of this would make a bit of sense to me." She only looked at him hopelessly. "Tell me, Summer!" he shouted. "Tell me you don't love me anymore and I'll go!"

Summer was full-on crying now. She couldn't look him in the eye and say those words, because they weren't true. So she didn't say anything at all. Gently, she pushed him out of the bedroom and closed the door.

For a few minutes, the only thing Seth could do was stand there. What had just happened? He let every second he'd been in that bedroom replay in his mind to make sure he hadn't missed something. Why was she doing this? He kicked the door angrily and then walked out. When he got in his car, he drove straight to the Cohen house.

When Ryan answered the door, Seth just pushed past him. Ryan followed his brother into the kitchen and waited for him to say something, knowing he probably had lots he needed to get out. "So, Summer broke up with me," Seth said with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes were glued to the floor as he, again, replayed the morning's events.

Ryan's eyes grew wide and he placed a comforting hand on his brother's back. "You want to tell me what happened?"

Seth laughed sarcastically and paced back and forth on one side of the kitchen island. "I don't even know, Ryan. I don't know what the fuck happened. We had a few little fights, okay? And yeah, we've been really distant lately, but she didn't even _want _to talk about things. She just up and decided that we don't work anymore. And she isn't going to college! She's given up on me and school, both. I don't know what to do anymore, Ryan," Seth answered. "Now, somehow, I've lost the only girl I ever loved _and _she's having my baby? I honestly don't see how the situation could get any more screwed up. Not to mention the fact that I am nowhere and I mean nowhere, near ready to have a baby! Who in the hell decided it was alright to give me a child? I'm still a child!" He paused to take a breath. "Oh, and hmm…how are we supposed to get on a plane and go to New York together tomorrow morning when we just broke up? It's not like we can just call them up and say, 'Hey, we want to change our seats.' It's a full fucking flight, Ryan. And we've already got our apartment. So, what am I supposed to do?"

Ryan leaned against the counter with his arms and legs crossed. He patiently listened to his brother, knowing that was the only way for him to let out his feelings. When he didn't answer the last question, Seth again asked, "Ryan, what am I supposed to do?" He clapped a few times. "Are you listening, man?"

With a sigh, Ryan nodded his head. "Yes, I'm listening, Seth. And I hear you, your situation sucks. I agree with you. Did you protest any to the breakup?" he asked.

Seth tried to think back to his reaction. "Well, not really. I mean, she seemed to have her mind made up. And she's not really the type of person whose mind is easily changed. What should I have done?"

Ryan rolled his eyes and stood up straight. "Fight for her! That's what you're best at, if I recall correctly. Never have you just sat back and let her leave your life. Because you love her, right? You want to be with her, right?"

Nodding his head, Seth answered, "Yes, of course! But what the hell does that matter if she doesn't want to be with me? How am I supposed to convince her that we'll be fine when I don't know that? I don't know what the future holds or how we're going to react to having a baby. What if I suck at being a father and take it out on her?"

"Seth, you're the one in control of your life and your decisions," Ryan replied with a shake of his head. "So why don't you start acting like it? If you want to be a good father, you will. And if you _really _want to be with Summer, you can be. First, you have to convince yourself that everything will be alright, which it will, and then you can start convincing her. For now, let her cool off and have a day to think. And you do the same. And like you said, you're going to be on like a five-hour flight with her tomorrow morning, so there's no reason you won't get time to talk. Talk to her then; figure everything out. Try to understand her point of view and find a way to fix the problem. You guys will be fine, man. Trust me; I've seen you. You're meant to be together. You'll work it out."

Seth sighed and nodded slowly. "I guess you're right. I'll find a way to fix it." He gave his brother a quick man-hug and started out of the kitchen. "Thanks, Ryan. I'm going to miss you, buddy."

After leaving the Cohen residence, Seth went down to the pier and spent literally the entire day there. He walked a bit and for a while, just looked out at the water. He thought about and carefully considered the words of both his girlfriend and his brother. And after he did that, he thought back to the way he'd been acting toward Summer. That wasn't him. And he made a vow to himself to never act that way again. From now on, when he saw her, it was only her and nothing else. Nothing else mattered.

It was almost midnight before Seth returned home. He wanted to be sure Summer would be asleep, so they could face each other in the morning. He curled up on the couch in the living room and found it very difficult to fall asleep.

Summer got up very early the next morning to finish packing her stuff. They had an early flight out, so they'd have to leave soon for the airport. When she saw Seth sleeping on the couch, she just watched him for a while. And she wondered if she'd made the right decision. It certainly wasn't the easiest one to make, but she figured it would save her a lot of heartache in the future. Then, when it got closer to their departure time, she lightly nudged his arm. He groaned and rolled over. "Wake up," she said quietly. "Our flight leaves soon."

When Seth's eyes opened, he just stared at her. Before she started again, Summer looked away and walked back into their bedroom. "There's coffee in the kitchen," she called.

The two didn't speak the rest of the morning. It was just too hard for Summer to continue on and Seth was still mulling over everything and wondering what to say to her when they got on the plane. He managed to get all his stuff packed in time and they made a quick stop by the Cohen house to say their goodbyes.

They got to the airport just in time and both were feeling weird about sitting next to the other for the next five hours in those cramped little seats. As they made their way to their seats near the back of the plane, Seth looked at his ticket. "Oh, um…do you want the window seat?" he offered.

Summer just stared at him. "I really don't care, Seth. Just take it."

When they were in their seats, Seth noticed that Summer was scooted over in her seat so she was as far away from him as possible. For some reason, this just really got to him. He looked out the window silently until the plane started to move on the runway. And as they were lifted into the air, he looked over at Summer, whose eyes had been closed until he spoke. "We need to talk."  
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_Thanks for reading! Sorry, it took forever to update but I'll be getting them up much quicker from now on! Just been really busy with the holidays. Please review and have a Merry Chrismukkah!_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer – I do not own the O.C. or any of the characters associated.

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"We need to talk."

Those four words could take on a world full of meanings for anyone. And when she heard them, Summer realized that sleeping until they got to the airport in New York might not be an option. If she hadn't already ended their relationship as a couple the previous day, she would've been afraid of him breaking up with her. Now she was just worried about how she was going to get through the next hours having to listen to him go on about how much he loved her and how they were meant to be together without giving in. And she simply would not allow herself to do that. So she looked straight at him, trying to avoid his beautiful eyes that made her heart melt. "Please, Cohen, I just want to sleep. I didn't sleep well last night and I don't want to be dead when we get there."

Seth sighed, glad that he'd have lots of time to get out his feelings about everything and he wouldn't have to rush through it. "Well, Summer, that is precisely what I would like to talk to you about," he stated, turning in his seat so he almost completely faced her and ignoring the seat belt sign. "What is going to happen when we get there? We have an apartment already and I would really like it if we could try the whole living together thing again. Maybe it didn't work the first time but who knows? Things are different now."

Summer took in every word he said and listened very carefully. In a way, she was sort of looking forward to the flight. She was still nervous about the subject of their conversation, but the fact that they were actually having a civilized one excited her. Before, they'd stay up until the early morning hours, talking about anything and everything. They'd curl up in bed and share their days with each other, if they hadn't spent it with each other. Other times, they'd just stay silent and enjoy each other's presence. That was one of Summer's favorite things about their relationship. There was almost never an awkward silence; it was always comfortable and words just weren't needed. They were completely satisfied just being in each other's arms. Since they'd started fighting, however, it was different. Most nights they didn't even sleep in the same bed. Their fights usually resulted in Seth sleeping on the couch and Summer in bed crying. They never talked to each other anymore and she missed it. "Seth, how are things different?" she asked with a quizzical look. "We haven't changed and we haven't talked out our issues. A baby is only going to make living together even harder."

"Okay, well that's what I'm trying to do, Sum," Seth replied. "I'm trying to talk about things with you, but you won't let me." He sighed. "I know things are going to get hard and I know we aren't ready for what's ahead, but that doesn't change the fact that it's coming. Living together with a baby will be stressful, but trying to do it apart when we both know we want to be together will be even worse. And don't tell me you don't want us. I know you do, Summer."

Every time she thought about them being together again or the fact that they were going to have a baby, tears sprung to Summer's eyes. She couldn't help it. "You don't know that it will be easier. And neither do I. Why are things different now than before? How do I know you won't just go back to ignoring me and being angry all the time? Because I can't go back to that, Seth. I just can't. I can't do this alone."

Seth shook his head and took her hand in both of his, shocked when she didn't immediately pull it away. "Baby, it just is. You and I both know that stress brings out the worst in people, but I'm not going to let it get to me anymore. From now on, I am totally out in the open. When I'm feeling something, you'll be the first to know, whether it's good or bad, I promise. It's all about you; it always has been and it always will be. I just lost sight of that for a while." He squeezed her hand. "Don't give up on us. Every couple goes through stuff and that's all this is. This isn't the end of us."

Summer looked down at their hands for a moment and then back up at him, finally allowing herself to make eye contact. He looked so sincere but still, she couldn't bring herself to believe he wouldn't do it again. She knew part of it was her fault, but it was his ninety percent of the time. She'd been let down plenty of times before and she really didn't want it to happen again. And even though she loved Seth, she'd never been able to fully trust him. It wasn't anything he'd done; it was just her. She couldn't trust anybody and she knew it wasn't fair to him. It was something she needed to work on. "You seem different," she stated. "Like, the stuff you're saying…it's majorly mature and it's not like anything you've said before. Where is all this coming from?"

He shrugged his shoulders as the smallest hint of a smile played across his lips. "I honestly don't know, Sum. I just know that in the past twenty-four hours, I've done possibly more thinking than ever in my life. And I realized that I never want to lose you and I'll do anything to get you back and keep us together. Besides, we've got to grow up sometime, right? I think the fact that I'm going to be a father has made me man up, in addition to scaring the living shit out of me."

Summer cracked a smile. "Don't worry; I'm scared, too. I'm more scared than I've ever been in my life. I want to find a way to make everything work, but I just don't know." She sighed heavily and looked down. "For the record, I _do _love you."

Seth smiled and replied, "I know. There was never a doubt in my mind." He brought her hand, which was still cradled firmly in both of his, up to his lips and placed a soft kiss on each of her fingertips.

Summer watched him carefully as he did this and he stared straight back into her eyes. She saw nothing but love and adoration flowing from them and suddenly she felt a lot better. That was something she had missed and right then, she saw her Cohen make his reappearance. Maybe all the bad things really could be forgotten and they could be happy. "Are you sure we can do this?" she whispered.

Seth smiled again, just glad that she'd accepted his small gesture and that the chances of them staying together were looking pretty good. And not even an hour into the flight. Damn, he was good. "Yes," he replied softly. "Sum, we can do anything. We just have to stay focused on each other. Like I said, I've done a lot of growing up recently and I'm sick of playing games. It's you forever, Summer Roberts."

Smiling to herself, Summer realized she had allowed herself to give in. But she didn't care. In fact, she was glad she'd been so weak. Closing the small distance in between them, she pressed her lips against his.

Seth felt no need to deepen the kiss. He continued to hold her hand and kissed her back gently, just showing her how much he loved her and how true his promise would remain. He'd love her forever no matter what.

When she pulled back, Summer stared into his eyes. "We're having a baby," she whispered. And this time when she said it, there was a hint of happiness in her voice. She'd realized how lucky she was to have Seth with her so she didn't have to do it alone. She'd never have to do anything alone again.

"This is true," Seth replied, resting his forehead against hers with a small smile on his face.

After a few minutes of silence, Seth realized they still had a lot to talk about. He was still wondering about what would happen when they got to New York and he had a feeling Summer was thinking the same thing. He pulled his forehead away from hers, still holding her hand in his. "What about school? You're really not going to go? I mean, I know this is huge, but if you don't go to school, you're going to regret it somewhere down the line."

Summer shrugged her shoulders. "I know, but I just don't see any other way. You'll be in school and working at the comic book store, so you'll have like no free time. You'll barely be home as it is and I'm not going to pawn my kid off on someone else like I was. I'm going to be there every day. And if that means giving up my education, so be it." She sighed. "Look, I've done a lot of growing up, too. And this is just something I have to do. It'll all work itself out in the end."

A quiet sigh escaped Seth's lips as he looked at her. "I know how you feel, but please promise me you'll think about it and consider going. I mean, you can take online courses at home or something. We can make it work."

"I'll think about it," she finally agreed. "But only if you promise to be there for us as often as you can. And don't grow up too much, if you can help it." She smiled. "I like the Seth Cohen from a few months ago; there's no need to change him."

Seth smiled and nodded his head. "I think I can manage that."

Summer realized she wasn't very tired anymore and was only very excited to have her boyfriend back. For the remainder of the flight, the two sat as close together in their seats as possible. They shared with each other everything they'd missed out on in the last few months. They shared their feelings about moving away and being forced to grow up so quickly, coming together for the occasional kiss. Seth continued to say sweet things that made Summer even happier and she was starting to feel like things may turn out okay for them.

Once the plane landed and they'd left the airport, the couple went straight to their new apartment. They didn't know a whole lot about the place except for the fact that it was small. Sandy and Kirsten had given them money for the first few months' rent and had assured them it was nothing too fancy. It was college and it was supposed to be an experience they'd never forget. Surely, living in a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with a connecting kitchen and tiny living room would give them this. Of course, they didn't know about the pregnancy yet.

When they walked in, Summer's mouth fell open. She walked to the bedroom, looking inside, and then turned to her boyfriend. "This is it? Are you fucking kidding me?"

Seth sighed and set their bags down just inside the bedroom. "Hey, it's not that bad. Besides, it's not like I had a say in it. My parents picked it out for us and it's not like they or even I knew that there'd be three people living here." He watched his girlfriend inspect every inch of the apartment, which didn't take long. "If you really hate it, I can call them up and tell them about everything. I'm sure they won't mind putting us in a nicer place," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Summer tried to calm down. She was used to living in a huge house, normally there all by herself. It was going to be a big change, but she tried telling herself it would be for the better. Besides, she was not ready for Seth's parents to know about the baby. For God's sake, she hadn't even gone to the doctor yet. And she did not want to take any more money from them. They were on their own now and would have to fend for themselves. "No, Seth," she said firmly. "We can live here. It might be a little tight, but I'm sure we can make it work." Her voice squeaked a little and Seth couldn't help but laugh.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Really, it's no problem to make the call."

"We're staying here," Summer said louder. She walked over to her boyfriend and wrapped her arms around his neck, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "This is home," she whispered.

Seth kissed her again, deeper, with a small nod. He moaned softly into the kiss and then pulled back. "Don't you think we should christen our new home?" he asked with a grin.

Summer slapped his arm lightly but was smiling. "Is that all you think about, Cohen? I'm exhausted and not to mention, pregnant."

Rolling his eyes, Seth pulled her closer to him. "I'm a guy, sweetie. What did you think we thought about?" He watched his girlfriend raise an eyebrow. "Also, seeing as you are indeed 'with child', there's no need to worry about protection now. We can have sex whenever we want."

"Wow, I thought you were different, Cohen," Summer said teasingly with a roll of her eyes. "Yeah, we can have a ton of sex until I get as big as a whale and you don't even want to so much as look at me." This thought hadn't crossed Summer's mind before and she gasped. "Oh, my God! I'm going to get fat!"

Seth couldn't help but laugh and continue to trail kisses down her neck. Then he pulled back. "Fat and pregnant are two different things, Summer. And no matter how pregnant you get, you will always be beautiful to me." He gave her a passionate kiss. "And incredibly sexy, I might add."

Summer grinned at her boyfriend, feeling genuinely happy for the first time in months. "You always know just what to say, don't you?" She locked lips with him again, pulling him closer.

Seth moaned into the kiss and tugged at the hem of her shirt, before pulling away just long enough to get it over her head, leaving her in a lacy black bra. Since Seth knew her body better than even she did, he'd noticed the little changes. To anyone else, she would've looked the same, but he could see that her stomach was beginning to look a bit rounder. But he just smiled and reconnected his lips with hers. He thought it made her look more beautiful than ever.

After a few minutes of heavily making out, Summer felt the need for Seth. They hadn't been intimate in months and she needed him. Somehow, she felt if they did this, things would go back to the way they were and they could just forget everything. She knew it wasn't true, but for now it was good enough. She pulled his t-shirt over his head and pushed him up against the wall of the apartment, forcefully pushing her tongue against his and running her hands down his chest and stomach. When she got to his waist, she slowly unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans, letting him kick them off. She let the lower half of her body grind against his until he stopped her to remove her jeans as well.

The apartment had come furnished. Not well, but it had all the necessities. Seth pulled his girlfriend toward the couch in the living room and gently pushed her back, falling on top of her. He moved his lips from hers but quickly reconnected them to her neck. He stopped for a moment to suck on the small spot of skin that he knew drove her crazy. After receiving a satisfying moan from her, he smiled to himself and continued his journey. He left soft, loving kisses down her collarbone and to the valley in between her breasts.

Summer arched her back, giving him access to the clasp in the back. He reached behind her and undid it, throwing it on the floor with all the other articles of clothing. He continued to lavish every inch of her body with kisses until he got to her underwear. He looked up at her and she nodded slowly. That was something Summer loved about him. Even though they'd had sex countless times before, he still always made sure she wanted to. She knew if she said no, he would stop right then and there and she loved how much he cared about her. Right now, there was no way in hell she wasn't going to do it. She desperately needed him and she knew he needed her, too.

Seth hooked his thumbs in the side of her panties, slowly bringing them down her legs until they reached her ankles. There, she kicked them off and he came back up so he was level with her. He kissed her passionately as her hands snaked their way down to his boxers, pulling them down urgently. Usually, the couple enjoyed a bit more foreplay, but right now, they were so ready that it wasn't needed.

"Seth," Summer whispered breathlessly, taking his face in her hands. "I love you."

He smiled and leaned down to give her a gentle, loving kiss. "I love you, too."

Without the need of a condom this time, Seth gently pushed into her. The gasp that came from her lips was pure bliss in his eyes. Soon, their moans gently mixed in the air and Seth sped up, on command, of course. Both of them felt a feeling of closeness neither had experienced in a long time and it felt good.

Seth and Summer spent the rest of the night in each other's arms. They slept, they made love, and they talked. All of these felt brand new, with the amount of time they'd had to go without them. And when they woke up the next morning, they knew they were home.

* * *

_Wow, so I know it's been forever. So sorry! With school starting back, everything was crazy, but I think I've settled into more of a routine, so I'll get them up quicker. And if you think this chapter sucks, I don't blame you lol. It's short and sucky, but I just wanted to get something up for you and get them together. So, I promise I will make the next one better! Still, please review and let me know what you think :) _


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer – I do not own the O.C. or any of the characters associated.

_So it's been three months…for the record, I do realize that's a hell of a long time! I've been dealing with some very personal, very stressful things in the last three months to be completely honest, but I am happy to say that my life is not the rocky road that it used to be. What does this mean? I'll be updating much more often, hopefully once a week, maybe two weeks. I won't let you down this time, I promise! :) _

School had started and the first two weeks flew by very quickly. Seth's schoolwork took up the majority of his time and he worked nights at the comic book store. However, he did keep his promise to be more attentive and honest with Summer and for that, she was thankful.

Summer had stuck with her original plan of not going to college. This had disappointed Seth, but there was really no changing her mind. She wanted to be there for her child every second she could and she vowed never to abandon them like her mother had done to her. Being busy unpacking and settling into the small, new apartment, Summer hadn't yet gone to the doctor. But it was becoming more obvious that she was pregnant. Instead of just a couple times a week, the nausea she experienced was present almost every day. Certain smells had grown sickening to her and although she tried to stick to her normal schedule, she usually went to bed earlier and woke up later.

The couple who lived across the hall from Seth and Summer was married and had two kids. Their apartment was larger than most of their neighbors' but not by much. Both parents worked and the kids absolutely adored Seth and Summer. As a way to keep her busy, Summer had volunteered to watch the kids each day while Jenny and Eli were at work. Their daughter, Claire, was four and one of the biggest girly girls Seth had ever seen. He loved watching her and Summer interact with each other and seeing it actually made him sort of excited about having one of their own. Jacob was two. If you gave the kid some chicken nuggets and a Diego DVD, he'd be content for hours.

Finally, Summer made an appointment to go to the doctor. Jenny had the day off, so she didn't have to watch the kids. Seth, however, had a three-hour class to attend. It upset Summer that he wouldn't be there when the doctor confirmed her pregnancy, but eventually she got over it. There would be plenty more visits and she didn't want to wait any longer.

In the waiting room, Summer felt completely out of place. Most of the women around her were already into their third trimesters. What was even worse was that they all had men, probably husbands, sitting right beside them. Some were looking at baby magazines together and others were simply holding hands and talking. Eventually, Summer threw the magazine she'd been trying to focus on in the seat next to her and sighed. How long did it take?

Not five minutes later, Summer's name was called. It made her jump when she heard the nurse's voice and then she stood up, blushing. It felt as if every person's eyes were on her and she could just hear their thoughts running wild. She'd always hated it when people thought badly of her and that fact hadn't changed.

The exam itself didn't take all that long and when the doctor rolled his chair nearer to the bed and gave Summer a sympathetic smile, she simply nodded her head. "You are pregnant, Ms. Roberts," he stated rather obviously. "You're about eight weeks along. The nurse has some pamphlets for you and they'll inform you of all your options and-"

Summer cut him off. "I don't need them. Seth and I are keeping the baby."

The doctor smiled and removed his glasses. "Well, it seems like you've got your mind made up, Ms. Roberts. If I may, going to school and raising a child isn't going to be easy. I strongly suggest that you at least consider the alternative of adoption. I, myself, am not for abortion."

Summer furrowed her brow. Sometimes she still got a little hormonal, but who was this guy to tell her what was best for her. "First of all, I'm not going to school; my boyfriend is. Secondly, no one else is going to raise my baby. It's mine and no one else's. And to be completely honest, I couldn't care less whether you're for or against abortion because I'm not and it's not your decision to make. So just do your job and let me have this baby."

The old man couldn't help but let out a little chuckle. He knew it wasn't personal, as he'd dealt with many pregnant women in his lifetime, including his own wife. This one seemed especially sassy, but he guessed her age and non-marital status contributed to this. So he brushed it off. "Well, I will certainly do so, Ms. Roberts. Whatever you want." He rolled his chair away and stood up. "Talk to the receptionist and she'll set up an appointment for you in about a month. I don't see any reason for you to come in any sooner. Call me if you have any questions or concerns."

"Thanks," Summer mumbled as he left. She already didn't like the man; he'd tried telling her what to do and she'd never been one to take orders. After a moment or two, she gathered herself and made her way out of the examination room. She made her appointment with the plump woman at the front desk and then headed back to the apartment.

When she got to their floor, Jenny and Eli's apartment door was wide open and she peered in to see Jenny walking from the back room at an alarming pace. "Thank God, Summer!"

Summer could tell the woman had been crying, as her eyes were puffed up and red. Jenny was six years older than Summer, but at the moment a stranger would think her much more. Her bright red hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail and she was dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt. Summer immediately knew something must have gone wrong. "What's wrong, Jenny?" she asked concernedly, stepping inside the living room area. "Did something happen? Are the kids okay?"

Jenny nodded her head furiously. "They're fine, they're fine." Up close, Summer could tell the woman was shaking. "It's my father. He's had another heart attack and this one was much worse than last year. He was rushed to the hospital and I'm flying out to Cincinnati with my sister. I hate to be a pain, but do you think you could-"

For the second time that day, Summer cut someone off. "Oh, don't even worry about it, Jenny! You go with your sister and I hope your father's okay. Seth will be home soon and we're more than happy to watch them anytime you need. Go on."

The smallest smile crossed Jenny's face as she embraced the younger girl thankfully. "Okay, Eli should be home around his normal time and he'll just come over and get them. I already called him and let him know what's happening. Thank you so much, Summer!"

A moment later, Jenny was gone to meet her sister and Summer felt bad for her. Unlike her relationship with her own father, Jenny was very close to hers. Losing him would devastate her and that wasn't something Summer wanted to watch. She brought Jacob and Claire over to her and Seth's apartment and sat them down on the couch.

"Is something wrong with Mommy?" Claire asked.

"Yeah, is she okay?" Jacob echoed.

Summer smiled and ruffled the boy's hair reassuringly. "Your mommy is absolutely fine. So is Daddy, he'll be home soon. Mommy just had something she needed to go take care of, so you're going to be over here with me and Seth for a while. Sound good?"

Jacob smiled and nodded his head. "I love it here!"

"Me too," Claire added. "But I'm hungry!"

Summer fed the kids and then sat down to watch a movie with them on the sofa. Although Claire had very much tried to convince Summer and Jacob to watch the Little Mermaid, Summer was even more insistent that they needed to watch something everyone would enjoy. So in the end, Finding Nemo seemed like the perfect choice.

Seth got back from class at five and walked through the apartment door to see the love of his life and two adorable children curled up on the couch watching a movie. He could tell it was almost over from both the scene and the fact that the kids were getting antsy.

As soon as she saw Seth walk through the door, Claire jumped up off the couch and ran over to hug him. "Sethy!"

Summer smiled when she saw him pick up the toddler and when she looked over at Jacob, she realized he was still totally entranced by the world of fish on the television. Although she did love taking care of those two children, it didn't mean she was ready to have her own. She'd come to grips with the fact that she was pregnant and was no longer in denial. However, now she was just scared. Giving up school was a huge sacrifice and she knew in the end, Seth would be the one to pay for it to make up for the money she wouldn't be making. There was really nothing to do about it. Despite their make-up conversation and how supportive Seth had become, her gut feeling was still that they weren't ready for a baby. And she knew she was right.

Seth set his stuff down on the counter and walked with Claire on his back to the couch, where he sat down next to Summer. This action resulted in the four-year-old toppling off his shoulders, but she didn't seem to mind. Instead, she started climbing back up again. Seth leaned over to place a kiss on Summer's cheek. "How'd the doctor go?"

"Fine," she replied with a short nod. "I'm definitely pregnant."

He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. Contrary to his initial reaction and thought process, Seth was now very excited to be having a baby with his girlfriend. He knew it would be hard and put strain on the relationship, but the thought of a little Summer running around their home excited him. He'd come to the conclusion that he was, indeed, ready to be a father. "When do you go back?"

"Not till next month," she answered, keeping her eyes on the television.

"Alright, that's enough," Seth said pushing Claire off him one last time. "I need to talk with Summer in the kitchen for a second. Sit here and watch the movie with your brother."

Reluctantly, Summer stood from the couch and followed him to the kitchen, just a short distance away. "What?" she mumbled, crossing her arms. She kept her eyes on the tile.

Seth sighed and leaned back against the counter. "What's wrong with you, Sum? I mean, I think I know, but tell me what you're thinking."

Summer uncrossed her arms and ran a hand through her hair. "I don't know, Cohen. I'm just scared, I guess. I'm scared that we're going to be poor forever and that you're going to be the kind of guy who's never home because he has to work all the time just to keep a roof over our head. And I'm scared because we aren't ready for something like this and I know I'm going to be a horrible mother."

"Stop right there, Summer." Seth took a step forward and rested his hands on her hips. "You will not be a horrible mother. Have you not seen yourself with Jacob and Claire? They adore you and you take awesome care of them. You're going to be an even better mom. As for the work stuff, that doesn't matter. And no matter what happens, I'll never be that guy because I know what's important." She just looked at him. He smiled and continued, "And that is you." He placed a soft kiss on her lips. "And this baby."

It did make her feel slightly better but then again, Seth always did. She'd end up feeling the same way in the morning without him there to comfort her. "Taking care of somebody else's kids for ten hours a day is not the same as doing it non-stop for eighteen years, Seth. With Claire and Jacob, I'm a part of all the fun stuff and never have to deal with all the serious, parenting parts. It's completely different."

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I know it's different, but you'll still be a great mom; trust me. And I'm freaking out just as much as you are on the inside, but we'll be fine." He gave her another reassuring kiss. "I can honestly say that I'm excited about this baby because I'm having it with you."

Summer smiled and hugged him. "Sometimes you really do surprise me. Your personality has so many different sides. Thanks, Cohen."

"Alright, let's go put in a real movie," he said, walking her back to the living room. "We don't need any floundering fish on the screen. We need something kickass, something like…Spiderman!" At this, Jacob looked up and nodded his head vigorously.

Seth's words kept Summer feeling more confident about the pregnancy throughout that night. The whole part about having to tell people about it was a different story; that scared the hell out of her and she'd really rather not do it all. Of that subject, she was sure Seth felt the same. But for that night, it didn't matter.

Eli came and picked the kids up and informed Seth and Summer about his phone call with Jenny. It wasn't looking good for her dad, but she wasn't losing hope. He made sure Summer was still going to watch them the following day and then took them home to put them in bed.

An hour later, Seth and Summer lay in bed cuddling. Sometimes those were the moments they felt closest. "If you had a choice, would you want a boy or a girl?" Summer asked randomly.

Seth seemed to think about this question for a few moments. "Hmm…I'm thinking I want a girl. One who looks just like you. In some ways, a mini-Summer." He smiled.

This made Summer smile and then he asked her the same question. "I really don't know," she answered honestly. "I'm good with either. But we have to find out before I have it. I can't handle not knowing."

"Good, I feel the same way," Seth answered. "So how bad do you think it'll hurt?"

Summer slapped his chest. "Why would you say that, Cohen? I hadn't even thought about that!" She paused and then sat up abruptly. "Wow, thanks. I'm going to die. I don't handle pain well."

Seth rolled his eyes and pulled her back down. "I'm sorry, but you're not going to die. You'll be just fine. Besides, you've got another seven months to go."

"Don't remind me."

_Please review! This chapter is obviously sort of a filler, but I did write this one rather quickly. So oh well!_


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